Crate Paper

Scrapbook & Cards Today

It's a busy time for us here at Crate Paper. We received a huge response to our "blog contributors" call that we posted a few weeks ago at the Two Peas in a Bucket message board. We're hard at work reviewing each of your submissions and have managed to narrow it down to only twenty people. We can't even begin to tell you just how difficult it's been to narrow down our selections. There's an immense amount of talent out there as it seems the scrapbook community is growing by leaps and bounds! It's remarkable to see just how expansive the talent is out there - we can't wait to share it on our blog! We'd like to send a huge thank-you to all of you who applied to our call! We'll start sending out invites tomorrow via email - be sure to watch your inbox if you applied. We'll announce the "final ten" later this week! Thanks again!

One more piece of info before we introduce you to the next segment of this post - we're always desiring new CP projects to share on our blog. If you've created a layout, card, mini album or altered project using our wares, send us a photo! We'd love to see it! If we post your project, we'll provide full credit and include a link to your blog/gallery. Also, just incase you forgot, each month, we give away $50 worth of Crate Paper goods to our favorite SGND. If you're not familiar with this ongoing monthly contest, be sure to read about it here - Scrapbook Girl Next Door. 

There's definitely something special being offered up in the latest issue of Scrapbook & Cards Today. If you're not already familiar with this fabulous publication, we highly recommend that you check'em out. All previous issues of Scrapbook & Cards Today are available for immediate download at the Scrapbook & Cards Today website (the content is awe inspiring!). We happened upon this gorgeous printer tray by Kerry McRorie in their Spring 2010 issue. We love the little bits and pieces that make up this tray, especially the banner and road sign. Also in the Spring 2010 issue, this beautiful card created by Davanie Fiero (peek below). 

 

Davinie has demonstrated that our "Pink Plum" collection is perfect for Spring. Thank-you Davinie & Kerry for including our collection in the Spring 2010 issue of Scrapbook & Cards Today! We've greatly enjoyed them :)

And just because we *heart* to inspire you with CP goodness, here's a small sampling of works we received from our readers this week:

The garden's blossoming with this line-up of Crate Paper flowers from our "Season" collection thanks to Laura from Melbourne, Australia.

 All the little trimmings from our "Pink Plum" collection create a welcoming environment for flowers and butterflies on this layout created by Merdrey. Check out all the layers - Merdrey's combined both our chipboard elements and pattern papers to create a free-flowing garden on her layout. Gorgeous!

 It must be Spring because so many of you are using flowers right now - Tara compliments pattern paper's from our "Pink Plum" & "Cottage" collections with a carefully orchestrated grouping of bright orange flowers.  It certainly does make us *smile* :) 

 

 

 

One last set of projects to share with you before we say good-bye for today. This lovely trio comes our way from Suzy W.! She's used our "Cottage" and "Paper Doll" collection with paints and corrugated cardboard, which is something we'd love to see more of - if you're a mixed media artist/scrapbooker and use Crate Paper products on your projects, email them to us - we're always seeking inventive, alternative techniques and ideas for using CP. 

That about does it for this round of inspiration! Be sure to join us later this week for further update on our ten new designers - we look forward to sharing them with you!

Guest Designer:: Tips & Techniques

Hello Everyone! My name is Christine Middlecamp. As some of you may already know, I'm a contributing project designer for Crate Paper. Well, this week, I'm here to share with you a new project/layout and a few tips and techniques for using Crate Paper's latest and greatest products. A few weeks ago, I created a simple, sophisticated layout using Crate Paper's Brook collection. If you take a look below, you'll find the layout and a host of ideas for using a few of my most favored Crate Paper products.

 Enjoy!

 

Crate Paper’s product versatility makes it really easy to fall in love with their product. I’m especially an avid fan of their pattern papers. What’s wonderful about their pattern papers is that they’re double sided; pattern on front, solid on back.  They’re easily interchangeable and always match perfectly when used interchangeably. Also, if you grow tired of a pattern paper after a certain period of time, simply turn it over and use the backside of the paper as a layout background or easily add the paper to your color cardstock collection for future use. For the most part, I use solid color pattern paper on most of my projects instead of plain color cardstock. I prefer the textured appearance of most solid color pattern papers and find they add an extra layer of dimension to my work. They’re also available in a plethora of alternative colors not often seen in cardstock form, which makes them even more valuable. The next time you run out and purchase pattern paper, remember to turn it over…you just might like the back better than the front.

 

 

Now for a few tips and techniques…do you layer chipboard? Are you afraid to layer chipboard because it’s an already established bulky material? I’m certainly never afraid to the layer the stuff and I’ve even gone as far as layering chipboard piece upon chipboard piece using foam core pop dots. I guess you could say I’m all about “the bulk”. The more, the merrier. I did use foam core pop dots to add the above large yellow chipboard piece to my layout. I knew that I wanted to sneak something underneath it so bringing the yellow chipboard piece forward seemed the optimal choice.  

 

Layering chipboard with solid color paper is another favorite technique of mine. I often feel that chipboard elements can sometimes look “flat” and can use some sprucing up. By adding another layer of darker paper to the backside of a chipboard piece and then using the paper to frame it, the chipboard piece takes on a whole new look. It brings the chipboard piece forward and gives the chipboard added dimension. 

If you look above, you’ll notice that I added hand-cut, dark scallop circles beneath some of my smaller chipboard pieces. If I hadn’t of done this, the chipboard pieces may have gotten lost on my layout. I also used foam core pop dots to attach the chipboard pieces to my layout, which further enhances them and leaves room for additional detailing.

 

Crate Paper provides these cute little green stems with their newest “Brook” chipboard collection. At first, I wasn’t sure how I wanted to use them. They’re easily added to the center of any chipboard flower included in this collection. You can co-inside them with brads, pearls, rhinestones, etc. I eventually thought it might be kind of fun to use them strictly as “flower stems” and that's exactly what I did - I trimmed the stems to fit the height of my flowers and anchored them on my layout with adhesive to keep them from moving.  

Thank-you for joining us today at the Crate Paper blog! Be sure to stop by Wednesday - we're making plans to announce ten blog contributors to help us out with designs over the next few months here at the CP blog. If you haven't already heard, we're seeking ten designers to play with our newest products. If you'd like to join in, please email us at info@cratepaper.com - We'll be selecting designers in a just a few short days!! Already, we've received numerous submissions, though we'd love to see more. Send them our way!  

Scrapbook USA expo

www.scrapbookusaexpo.com

Utah here we come!  We will be in Sandy, UT this weekend at the Scrapbook USA expo.  We are going to have some awesome deals...so if you are going to be at the show make sure to stop by and see us.  

The show info is below.

         

9575 S State St

Sandy, Utah 84070

Show hours: 

Friday 10am-12am

Saturday 10am-6pm

VIP and Early Bird get in early

Expo

California here we come!  We will be in Pleasanton, CA this weekend at the Scrapbook Expo.  We are going to have some awesome deals...so if you are going to be at the show make sure to stop by and see us.  The show info is below.

       

2010 Pleasanton, CA
(Bay Area)
March 19 & 20, 2010

Alameda County Fairground
4501 Pleasanton Avenue
Pleasanton, CA 94566
(925) 426-7600

Young at Heart

One of the crate gals was looking over at 2 peas the other day and found these inspirational layouts.   We had to share because who can't get enough of the beach, Woody and Buzz!  Capturing these moments keep us all young at heart.

     

 

     Brook Collection {Design by Tanya Tahir} 

  

 

 

Season Collection   {Design by Nancy Damiano}

 

Email Monday

Mondays, what do you say.... they are always crazy for us and who looks forward to having the weekend come to an end?   Well, we want to make Monday's fun again.... is it possible, we think so! 

Introducing our Email Monday Posts!  We receive the best emails from all of you and we feel it is a waste not to share our favorite designs with our CP friends.  "Email Mondays" will be full of the best layouts that you have shared with us.  Remember the more you share, the more we share.  Email your designs to info@cratepaper.com.  (Also SGND's are chosen from emails, yah... a chance to win some FREE product) You will never look at Mondays the same.

Thanks to the talented designers below for sharing their beautiful designs with us.

   

 

    {Cottage Collection}  design by Debby Visser

   

 

 

 

 

 

   {Cottage Collection}     design by Amy Hoang

  

  

         {pink plum collection}  design by Kaori Watanabe

  

     

           {bliss collection}    Design By Wendy Kwok

   

 

        {season collection}  design by Glenda Tkalac

 

   

             {season collection}   design by Julie Bonner

 

 

 

     {season collection}   design by Nicole Nowosad 

  

        {season collection}   design by Nicole Nowosad 

 

 

The following six layouts were designed by Nerrida Mitchell.

                {cottage collection}

 

                {season collection}

 

                {bliss collection}

                {bliss collection}

 

                {bliss collection}

                {bliss collection}

 

sgnd

Congratulations Tara Orr, your our first SGND for March. When we saw all the flower tops cut out from the "spring" paper we fell in love.  First, we love they way you collaged the flowers and second, that is a lot of work so thanks for showing us a new way to make "spring" bloom. Tara receives a crate shopping spree worth $50.00.

 

 

 

        season collection

Making Season Pop!

Want a poppin idea? One that will make your next crop party the talk of town.  Check out Suzy Plantamura's adorable designs that were featured in CK's Tips & Tricks. Thanks Suzy for making our Season Collection Pop!